The Trio & Me

13. Donate blood

Today, I donated blood for the very first time.

This is something I have wanted to do since I was 16 years old. I remember reading an article in a women’s magazine about a woman being celebrated for donating blood 250 times. I was completely in awe. I remember thinking what an incredible gift it was to give something so simple that could save someone’s life. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to do it too.

I couldn’t wait to turn 18 and become eligible to donate. But life had other plans.

Not long after turning 18, I was diagnosed with iron deficiencies that made me ineligible to donate. Then came pregnancy, motherhood, and a long list of health challenges that followed. Despite everything, the desire to give back never disappeared. Every time I had blood tests, every time my iron levels were checked, I would find myself thinking about donating blood and helping others.

Over the years, I had iron infusions, ongoing health concerns, and eventually uterine and cervical cell growths that required treatment. Somewhere along the way, I quietly accepted that donating blood might never be possible for me. Then five years ago, I had a hysterectomy.

Since then, my health has steadily improved, and today, after 26 years of hoping, waiting, and wondering, I finally sat in that chair and donated blood. My iron levels are now in the normal range – perfect, in fact. While I’ve had periods of blood pressure concerns, they are manageable, and today I was able to donate 500ml of blood, enough to potentially save up to three lives.

As I shared my story with the incredible team at the blood donation centre, I became overwhelmed with emotion. I cried. After carrying this dream for more than half my life, I was finally doing the very thing I had wanted to do since I was a teenager.

And I sat there with the biggest smile on my face.

What might seem like a small act to some felt monumental to me. It was empowering, emotional, and deeply meaningful. This wasn’t just about donating blood, it was about perseverance, hope, and finally achieving something I once believed was impossible.

This won’t be my last donation. As long as I’m able, I’ll continue giving blood and making a small but meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Of all the things on my list of 40 things to do before I turn 40, this is one I genuinely thought I might never achieve. Today, I did. And I couldn’t be more grateful.

I can’t wipe the smile off my face, even now as I type this, I feel incredibly proud. 

🤍 Kobe